Latest business news from Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale

Stress Erodes Organisational Resources

A recent Health and Safety Executive (HSE) survey indicated that workplace-related stress features in the lives of more than 20% of the British workforce. A survey conducted last year found that around 13 million working days were lost due to work-related stress in that year.

Stress is a major problem in British workplaces and this survey underlines that. Stress can occur in any workplace and it is important that both employers and employees recognise the symptoms at an early stage. The HSE have produced guidance and stress management standards to help employers tackle the issue.

Safe Start Campaign

This year’s European Week for Safety and Health at Work begins in October and is dedicated to young people to ensure a safe and healthy start to their working lives. A year long “Safe Start” campaign is being launched prior to the event and will promote risk awareness and risk prevention of accidents at a workplace level by involving employers, as well as targeting the education community.

According to Eurostat data, the risk of work accidents is at least 50% higher among those aged 18-24 years than in any other age category. Young persons are less likely to recognise the risk of accidents and even when they do, they may be less able to take appropriate action. Sometimes tasks are assigned beyond their capabilities or they are not provided with adequate training or supervision. Accidents and damage to the health of young workers are particularly distressing where the young person has to live with the consequences for the rest of their lives.

To coincide with the Safe Start campaign IOSH has introduced “Wiseup2work” a new online service targeting young workers. The aim of the service is to get young workers thinking about health and safety and to raise awareness of the issues that they may be faced with. The campaign also educates employers about providing safe and suitable work, training and supervision, and being aware of what to do when a young person starts work. Practical ideas include twinning a young worker with an older
mentor.

Under The Influence

Two million people have taken a day off sick in the last six months due to a hangover, according to the recent Alcohol in the Workplace study. Ninety-one per cent of the companies surveyed did have an alcohol policy, but this still leaves 14,000 employers at risk. The effects of alcohol can be extensive, from an increased number of accidents in the workplace or lateness due to hangovers, through to impaired decision making, and a poor image for customers or clients. Employers need to put risk controls and policies in place to ensure that they are providing a safe working environment for their employees, particularly with the World Cup approaching. The study reveals that 5% (1.4 million) working Britons will go to the pub to watch the football and then return to work.

Recycling Myths Exploded

Have you ever wondered what really happens to your recycled waste? Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and Recycle Now have set to work answering some questions.

Myth - Plastic is Exported to China and Dumped in a Landfill
Fact - Plastics for recycling are regularly bought in the UK for export to China. A tonne of plastic bottles for recycling
can fetch around £200 so it would make no economic sense to ship it half the way round the world to dump it. In 2005, 237,753 tonnes of plastic were exported. Over half of the UK’s plastics recycling is done via export.

Myth – There is a glass mountain!
Fact – Glass is perfect for recycling it can be recycled back into new bottles and jars over and over again, without its clarity deteriorating. Glass products can use up to 90% recycled material. The myth refers to the imbalance in the supply of glass to recycle, compared to the demand for recycled glass and products made from it. A major barrier to recycling glass in the UK is the shortage of clear ‘cullet’ (the term for waste glass) available. We produce plenty of clear glass in the UK, but export a lot of it as bottles for spirits. Not enough clear glass is put into recycling banks, rather than to landfill.

Myth: Recycling has little benefit for the environment
Fact: Higher rates of recycling lead to reductions in overall carbon emissions. The current levels of recycling in the UK
of paper and board, glass, plastics, aluminium and steel save 10-15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.
This is compared with the alternative of sending those materials to landfill or incineration.

Grow your business responsibly

An increasing number of large businesses in both the business and public sectors are now including environmental and other business responsibility factors in their tender requirements. A MORI survey of UK small businesses in 2002 highlights the importance of adopting business responsibility practices as in the preceding 12 months big businesses had asked:
- 60% about their safety policies and practices
- 43% about environmental policies and practices
- 17% about social and community issues
Results suggested small businesses need to become more involved in being environmentally and socially responsible to win contracts and grow their business.

Prevent Pollution with Oil Separators

The Environment Agency has produced a revised version of their guidance on oil separators. All businesses have a legal obligation to prevent pollution from their sites and the guide provides good practice on how to achieve this. Details are
supplied of different types of separators and how to operate and install them. This easy to follow guide also contains a
flowchart to help identify the right separator for each site and it provides all the technical information needed by the site operator.

Fined for inadequate training provided

A wholesale paper merchant was fined £6,000 after pleading guilty to allowing dangerous work practices to take place on their premises and for not ensuring the safety of a young worker. The 18-year old agency worker suffered three suspected fractured toes; crush injuries to three bones and torn tissue in his right foot, when the electrically powered pallet truck ran over his foot.

The company claimed that the worker had received training, although no records were produced, and asserted that the equipment used was a simple device, which needed very little training time. Independent Training Standards Scheme and Register require a full day’s training on such equipment for all novice users. It was also outlined that agency workers should be treated the same as full time workers in relation to health and safety requirements.

First Aid At Work 4 Day (HSE Approved)
22nd, 23rd, 29th and 30/06/06

This 4 day training course provides the opportunity for employees to gain the knowledge and skills to deal effectively with First Aid in the workplace. On successful completion of the course delegates will be awarded the First Aid at Work Certificate, which is valid for 3 years, and to the standard required by the Health and Safety Executive for the purposes of compliance with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. The course is open to all employees regardless of business sector and covers a range of first aid procedures including resuscitation, fractures, burns and scalds and poisoning.

Venue: Groundwork Oldham amp; Rochdale
Cost: £180 (+VAT) for BEA members, £220 (+VAT) for non-members.
Time: 9am until 4pm every day

CIWM accredited Waste Awareness
Certificate Training Course 06/07/06

Every business that produces, carries, keeps, treats, imports or disposes of waste has legal responsibilities known as the Duty of Care. This one-day Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) accredited Waste Awareness Course looks at how to tackle these legal obligations and outlines techniques that can be used to reduce costs associated with waste generation
and disposal.

Venue: Groundwork Oldham amp; Rochdale
Cost: £100 (+VAT) for BEA members, £150 (+VAT) for non-members.
Time: 9am until 4pm